Moving forward, vol. 18, no. 2 (2013 January 13)

Moving Forward
Brought to you by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities

The Developmental Disabilities Advocates' Guide to Legislation
Jan 13, 2011 Volume 16--Issue 2

What a start to the 2011 Session! The icing of the city shut down all but emergency and essential operations. The inauguration of Nathan Deal as the 82nd Governor took place in House Chambers for the first time since 1947. All other inaugural activities were cancelled in the interest of public safety.

Special Council on Tax Reform released its recommendations. We will be watching for the content of the legislation as it emerges in the next few weeks. For a summary of recommendations and the complete report, go to www.gcdd.org.

Budget Address: Governor Deal delivered the State of the State and his budget proposals during a joint session of the House and Senate on Wednesday, January 12th. Details below.

House and Senate News:

DBHDD Budget continued:

House Leadership -- Speaker of the House: David Ralston, 7th; Speaker Pro Tempore: Jan Jones, 46th. The Speaker vote is held the opening day of the session, but we do not

Replace loss of the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance

Percentages (FMAP) from (ARRA) of 2009.

$42,144,989

expect any changes. Majority Leader: Larry O'Neal 146th; Minority Leader: Stacey Abrams.

Realize efficiencies of serving fewer consumers in institutions by closing one state hospital.

Senate Leadership--Presiding: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle;

Direct Support Services

(3,270,191)

President Pro Tempore: Tommie Williams, 19th; Majority Leader: Chip Rogers, 21st; Majority Whip: Cecil Staton, 18th;

Reduce one-time funds for the Marcus Institute.

(235,000)

Minority Leader: Robert Brown, 26th. Minority Whip: Steve Department of Community Health; FY 2011: Henson, 41st.

Contact information for the Governor--The Honorable Nathan Deal, 203 State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia, 30334;

Infant and Child Essential Health: Reduce programmatic

grant-in-aid to County Boards of Health.

(167,798)

404-656-1776, http://gov.state.ga.us

Reflect savings from the phase out of the Babies Born

Visit www.vote-smart.org to identify your legislators. Find Healthy program.

(339,605)

your legislators' contact information at www.legis.state.ga.us House Information, 1-800-282-5800; Senate Information 1-800-282-5803.

Infant and Child Health Promotion: Reduce funds for

personal services.

(854,036)

Budget Information, Governor's Proposed Budgets Health Facilities Regulation: reduce funds for 6 new state

The 2011 Session tackles the 2011 supplemental budget, licensure positions in FY 2011 appropriations. (478,181)

referred to here as FY 2011A, (ending June 30, 2011) and 2012 FY budget (beginning July 1, 2011). Cuts are in ( ).

DCH FY 2012

State dollars unless indicated.

ABD: Reduce Medicaid reimbursement by 1% for all

providers excluding hospital and home and community

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental based services

(6,747,649)

Disabilities; Georgia reached a settlement with the

Department of Justice on October 19, 2010. Figures below Increase existing member copayments and implement new

support the Settlement Agreement. See the GCDD website copayments for members enrolled in the TEFRA option

for the Settlement documents.

(3,136,135)

FY 2011A

Eliminate optional benefit coverage for adult vision, dental,

and podiatry services

(6,163,079)

Provide funding for 400 family supports, 5 crisis respite

Health Facilities Regulation: reduce funds for 6 new state

homes, and 6 mobile crisis teams to serve people in

licensure positions in FY 2011 appropriations. (478,181)

community settings.

$2,778,820 Infant and Child Essential Health: Reduce programmatic

Replace loss of the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance grant-in-aid to County Boards of Health.

(450,000)

Percentages (FMAP) from the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009. (ARRA)

$8,075,835

Reflect savings from the phase out of the Babies Born

Healthy program.

(2,915,006)

FY 2012

Infant and Child Health Promotion: Reduce funds for

Provide funding for 400 family supports, 5 crisis respite

personal services.

(835,629)

homes, and 6 mobile crisis teams for people with DD $12, 800, 081 Low Income Medicaid: Reduce Medicaid reimbursement by 1% for all providers excluding hospital and home and

Annualize the cost of the FY 2011 150 waiver slots for the community based services

(6,379,025)

New Options Waiver (NOW) and Comprehensive Waiver

(COMP) for the developmentally disabled.

LIM: Eliminate optional benefit coverage for adult vision,

$7,092,697 dental, and podiatry services

(864,829)

Provide for an additional 250 waiver slots for the (NOW) and (COMP) waivers for people with DD, 150 transition

PeachCare: Implement new copayments for PeachCare

members 6 years of age and older

(1,503,409)

from state hospitals, and 100 for people at risk of

PeachCare: Reduce Medicaid reimbursement by 1% for all

institutionalization.

$7,463,475 providers excluding hospital and home and community

Realize efficiencies of serving fewer consumers in

based services

(699,244)

institutions by closing one state hospital.

(2,289,405) Stay in Touch! Go to www.gcdd.org / stay

FMAP restoration: The increased federal portion of the match connected to register for all communications.
under ARRA will shift back beginning 6/30/2011.

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities collaborates with Georgia citizens, public and private advocacy organizations, and policymakers to positively influence public policies that enhance the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Department of Education, FY 2011A
Reduce funds provided for Residential Treatment Centers (154,804), Sparsity Grants (119,332), and Special Needs Scholarships (483,318).

Transfer the Family Connection program to the

Governor's Office of Children and Families and

recognize savings from consolidation

(9,374,089)

Department of Labor; Vocational Rehabilitation

Preschool Handicapped: Reduce funds. (1,138,638) FY 2011A

Pupil Transportation, reduce funds.

(5,545,136) Reduce funds for personal services.

(1,079,897)

QBE Formula: Provide a mid-term adjustment for

Reduce funds for contracts.

enrollment growth.

$83,024,414 FY 2012

(323,090)

2. Provide differentiated pay for newly certified math

and science teachers.

$12,664,855

Reduce funds for personal services.

(1,079,897)

Reduce funding provided for the RESAs core services. Reduce funds for contracts.

(391,362)

(241,172) Delete one-time funds for the Georgia Talking Book

Reduce funds for GNETS (SED)

(2,622,953) Center.

(24,287)

School Nurses: Reduce funding for grants. (1,099,980) Legislation:

FY 2012

HB 23: to enact the "Foster Children's Psychotropic Medication Monitoring Act"; to require the Department of

Reduce funds provided for Residential Treatment

Human Services to establish regulations governing the use of psychotropic medications for foster children in state

Centers (709,608), Sparsity Grants (298,331), and

custody. Sponsor: M.Oliver, 83. Status: House Hopper

Special Needs Scholarships (966,636).

HB 24: to substantially revise, supersede, and modernize

Preschool Handicapped: reduce funds

(284,659) provisions relating to evidence, [including] to change

provisions relating to foreign language interpreters and

Pupil Transportation, reduce funds.

(8,317,704) interpreters for the hearing impaired. Sponsors: Willard,

49; Lindsey, 54; Weldon, 3, Dobbs, 53; Jacobs, 80. Status:

QBE formula: Net Add:

$30,553,255 House Prefiled

Reduce funding for RESAs core services.

(602,930) Update on Committees, Senate: Changes only

School nurses: Reduce funding for grants. (2,749,950) Education and Youth: Fran Millar

Reduce funding for GNETS. (SED)

(655,738) Health and Human Services: Renee Unterman

Reduce funding for State Schools

(226,218) Higher Education: Jim Butterworth

Department of Human Services; FY 2011A and 2012 (Division of Aging Services)

Insurance and Labor: Greg Goggans Judiciary: Bill Hamrick

Eliminate the contract with the Center for the Visually Public Safety: Johnny Grant

Impaired.

(177,859)

See ajc.com/political-insider for the entire list

Reduce funds for Alzheimers Respite Services

(225,000) and Non-Medicaid Home Community Base

www.unlockthewaitinglists.com

Respite Services

(1,376,718)

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www.gcdd.org

Capitol Impact!

Dates to Remember:
Martin Luther King Remembrance: January 17th Arc Legislative Reception at the DEPOT: January 18th
February is Self-Advocates Month at the Capitol Mental Health Day at the Capitol: February 9th Advocacy Day at the Capitol for Unlock the Waiting Lists: February 15th
Disability Day at the Capitol: February 24th!

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